The Waiter

by Bradleigh Collins

  “Absolutely.”

  I could not remember the last time I’d been this excited. In just the last hour, I had scheduled another job interview in New York, booked my trip, and landed a second date with The Waiter.

  I left work right at five o’clock and headed home to start packing. Around six-thirty, Dalton called.

  “Hey babe. Wanna go get something to eat?”

  “I can’t. I’m packing.”

  “Packing for what?”

  “I’m going back to New York this weekend. I have another job interview on Monday.”

  “That’s great babe. Congrats.”

  “Thanks. I’m excited. And nervous.”

  “Want some company?”

  “If you come over here, I won’t get any packing done. I won’t get anything done.”

  “I meant do you want some company in New York this weekend,” he said. “I’ll go with you.”

  I was taken aback. “No! It’s gonna be a quick trip. I’m leaving Saturday and coming back Monday.”

  “So? I’m up for a quick trip with you. I can visit the New York office Monday. Show my face up there. Maybe I’ll get a better assignment.” Dalton’s company was also headquartered in New York.

  “No, Dalton. This is something I need to do on my own.”

  “Why? Have you got a boy-toy in New York you don’t want me to know about?”

  Oh my god. He knows. How the hell does he know? I wasn’t sure if I should tell him about The Waiter or not. I was afraid if I told him, he would get mad and show up in New York and ruin my entire weekend. If I lied, I would be doing the same thing to him that I begged him not to do to me. So I went with a neutral answer that was kind of the truth.

  “No. No boy-toy.” I certainly didn’t think of The Waiter as a boy-toy. “I just need to focus on this job interview, and if you’re there, I’ll be focused on you.”

  “Okay. Suit yourself. Where are you staying?”

  “I don’t know yet.” I had to lie this time. I didn’t want to tell him the name of my hotel because I was certain he would “surprise” me.

  “Listen Dalton, I have to go pack. I’ll call you when I get back from New York, okay?” At this point, I just wanted to get off the phone with him before he asked more questions that I would have to answer with more lies.

  “Want me to pick you up at the airport on Monday?”

  I laughed out loud. “Are you kidding me? You suck at airport pickups.”

  “I’ll be there this time. I promise.”

  “Okay Dalton, if I need an airport pickup, I’ll call you.” Yet another lie. But it finally got me off the phone with him.

  As I hung up, I glanced over at the enormous bouquet of peach roses on my dining room table. Guilt crept into my weekend plans like an army of ants invading a peaceful picnic. Do men ever feel this much guilt? Of course they don’t.

  I felt guilty that I had just lied to Dalton about The Waiter. When I was talking to The Waiter on Saturday, I felt guilty that I had kissed Dalton the night before. The truth was, I wasn’t in a relationship with either of these men. Dalton was my past, and I was trying keep it that way. The Waiter could be my future. But I didn’t owe either of them anything.

  Later that night, I was having my usual ICQ chat session with The Waiter.

  “You have to dress casual Saturday night,” he said. “Jeans, sneakers. Nothing fancy. Something you wouldn’t mind getting messed up.”

  “Are we going to a mud-wrestling bar or something?”

  “Not even close. Trust me, you will be blown away.”

  “I’m excited,” I said. “And a little scared.”

  “The show starts at ten. I’m working until seven. Why don’t you guys meet me at Luna Park in Union Square around nine?”

  “Okay. That sounds great.”

  “I can’t wait to see you again,” he said.

  “Me either.”

  After our conversation, I was too excited to go to sleep. I stayed up until two in the morning obsessing over what outfits to pack for a three-day trip. Of course, these weren’t just any outfits. One might help me land my dream job. Another might end up on the floor next to The Waiter. Dana was right. There was an actual chance I could get laid. For the first time in a very long time, I might actually have sex with someone that wasn’t Dalton.

  In just three short days, I’d be back in the city again. And face-to-face with The Waiter. Maybe this time, a little more than face-to-face.

  CHAPTER 10

  ◆◆◆

  My flight landed at La Guardia at ten. I landed in Manhattan around noon. I checked into the hotel and immediately headed to Big Nick’s for a slice of pesto pizza, which I planned on eating in Central Park. I was so happy to be back in what was starting to feel like “my neighborhood.”

  I got the pizza to go. Then I took a walk down 77th Street. I walked past Fishs Eddy. Past the firehouse with its big red arched doors, one of which was open, exposing the big red fire engine inside. A firefighter waved. I smiled and waved back. Soon I was on Amsterdam, right at the very spot where The Waiter kissed me. I wanted to hug the one-way sign he was leaning against but, thankfully, I didn’t. Instead I continued walking, passing the brownstones I wanted to live in one day. Then on to the GreenFlea. It was only open on Sundays, so the gates were locked. But I couldn’t help gliding my hand along the fence where The Waiter was standing when I first saw him that day.

  I continued on until I was in Central Park and sitting on the bench where we’d had our conversation. I couldn’t believe I was going to be seeing him again tonight. Once again, I was giddy. But then it hit me. This was exactly the same way I felt about Dalton when I first met him. And look how that turned out.

  It only took one bite of my pesto pizza to determine that my stomach wasn’t having it. My self-doubt had officially kicked in. Worst-case scenarios began playing out in my head, and in a matter of seconds, I had already ruined my entire weekend. The Waiter wasn’t going to show up. I would be humiliated in front of Josh and his super-chic New York friends. I would probably blow my job interview on Monday. And I would head back to Atlanta demoralized and depressed. Bitchy Brenda was right. Maybe I wasn’t cut out for New York.

  I threw my pizza in the garbage and started back to the hotel. As I crossed Central Park West, I wasn’t thinking, “this is the spot where he held my hand for the first time.” Instead, I was thinking, “what if he doesn’t show up tonight?”

  Nothing that The Waiter had said or done had given me any inclination that he would do something like that. In fact, the last thing he said in our chat last night was, “I can’t wait to see you tomorrow.” But yet, somehow, doubt and fear had already cemented themselves deep inside my brain.

  Josh had made dinner reservations for all of us at seven-thirty at Blue Water Grill. It was right across the street from where we were meeting The Waiter. I figured I would just go to the hotel, unpack, take a nap, and give myself plenty of time to get ready.

  When I woke up around five, I was feeling a little better. I couldn’t wait to see Josh, Katie, Lucy and Kyle. Lucy and I already had plans to get together for brunch tomorrow to discuss the job interview. I decided I would just try to change my focus from The Waiter to The Job. I was here in the city for an interview, and to hang out with some truly amazing people. If The Waiter showed up tonight, that would just be a bonus.

  I had told everyone what The Waiter said about dressing casually. Josh hinted that he knew where we were going but wouldn’t tell me anything specific. After agonizing for days over what to wear, I settled on a pair of light-washed Levi’s, a black tank-top, a pearl choker necklace, and a comfortable pair of ankle boots. I also wore a black light-weight cardigan to dress up the look enough for dinner and drinks. The makeup was flawless, and I piled my hair into what was quickly becoming my signature look - the messy bun. I was ready.

  Josh and Katie met me in front of the hotel. Soon we were all in a cab headed down the West Side Highway. It was
so great to see both of them. I could tell that Josh really liked Katie, and I already knew she was smitten with him.

  “I can’t believe you’re already back,” Katie said. “It’s like you never left.”

  “I know. I can’t wait to give Lucy a big hug. She’s the reason I’m back so soon.”

  “Well, that and your new boy toy,” Josh laughed. I immediately thought about Dalton and how I had lied to him about The Waiter. I didn’t want Dalton coming to New York with me this weekend, yet here he was, seated comfortably in my head.

  When we arrived at the restaurant, Lucy and Kyle were already at the bar. I hugged both of them while Josh checked us in, and then we all followed the hostess back to our table.

  “Josh thinks he knows what show we’re going to tonight, but he won’t tell me.”

  “Oh, we all know,” Kyle said. “Josh told us not to tell you so it would be a surprise.”

  “How do you guys know?”

  “By the way you told us to dress.”

  “Yeah,” Josh chimed in. “We’ve all heard about this show, but none of us have seen it yet. It sounds really cool.”

  “It was so nice of your friend to get us tickets,” Katie said. “I can’t wait to meet him.”

  Yeah, if he shows up. “I’m just so happy to be back in the city. It’s been an interesting couple of weeks.”

  “We need drinks,” Josh said. And god, did I.

  After dinner, we headed over to Luna Park. It was a restaurant and bar located in an open-air pavilion at the north end of Union Square. I’d already had a martini and was feeling a bit more relaxed, but I was still nervous about seeing - or not seeing - The Waiter.

  As we were walking down the steps into the bar, I looked at the multiple strands of lights hanging above us. They looked like fireflies hovering in the air. I got the feeling that I had been here before. “This place looks familiar.”

  “Yeah, it was in an episode of Sex & the City,” Lucy said. “That’s why it’s so freaking crowded now.”

  And crowded it was. I had no idea how I would find The Waiter in here. It was a little after nine and I didn’t see him anywhere. We maneuvered through the crowd towards the bar. I scanned the entire place. No Waiter.

  “I don’t see him,” I said to Josh.

  “He’ll be here, Sam.”

  I felt my phone vibrate. I pulled it out to see that I had a message from The Waiter. My heart sank. I knew he was calling to tell me he couldn’t make it. I walked away from our group to listen to the message, but it was too loud inside the bar to hear. I walked out into the park. Deep down, I knew he wasn’t coming. I figured I had two choices. Give in to the humiliation and let this ruin my night, or hide my heartbreak, laugh it off, and try to make the best of it. I decided on the latter. I wasn’t about to waste a Saturday night in New York City.

  Suddenly, I felt an arm around my waist, warm breath on the back of my neck, and sensed a familiar scent.

  “Hey baby,” a voice said.

  I turned around. There he stood. He leaned down and gave me a quick kiss on the lips followed by an extra-long hug.

  “I can’t believe you’re here,” I said, looking up at him.

  “Me either,” he replied.

  “I was just trying to listen to your voice mail.”

  “Oh, yeah,” The Waiter responded. “I just wanted to let you know I was running a little late. Where’s Josh?”

  “Over there,” I pointed. He grabbed my hand and led me back down the steps and through the crowd. My doubt and fear quickly disintegrated. When we got to the bar, Josh introduced him to everyone. Then he handed me an apple martini and looked at The Waiter. “What are you drinking?”

  “Old Fashioned. I see you all got the memo about the dress code.”

  “Sam’s the only one that doesn’t know where we’re going,” Josh said. “We figured it out when she told us what to wear.”

  “Have you guys seen the show?” The Waiter asked.

  “No, but we’ve all heard about it,” Kyle said. “It sounds interesting. I’ve never been to a show where you stand up the whole time.”

  “What?” I said. “There are no seats?”

  “That’s why I told you to wear comfortable shoes, Red. I’ve seen it twice. My friend Nick is in it. They’re having an after-party in the theater tonight if you guys want to hang out when it’s over.”

  “That sounds great,” Katie replied. “I’m so excited.” Then she grabbed my arm and leaned into my ear. “Your man is so handsome.”

  “Yes, he is.”

  “Oh, and I hope you guys don’t mind getting wet,” The Waiter said.

  “Wait, wet?” I was confused. “What do you mean?”

  “You’ll see.”

  “Well, I’m glad I wore a black tank top and not a white one.”

  “I’m not.” The Waiter smiled. Josh handed him his drink.

  “Okay, I have to propose a toast,” Josh said, raising his glass into the air. “To Sam being back in the city!”

  “Thanks to Lucy,” I said.

  “To Sam getting that fucking job,” Lucy replied.

  “Wait, I have to get a picture!” I pulled out a disposable camera I’d bought for the trip and asked a girl standing next to us if she would take our photo. She obliged. Then we all clinked our glasses together. I had a new tribe. A Manhattan tribe. We stood there in the park sipping our cocktails under the hanging lights. The Waiter held his drink in one hand and me in the other. Being this close to him and smelling the scent of his hair again was intoxicating. I couldn’t remember the last time I was this turned on.

  “Are you ready to get wet?” he whispered softly in my ear.

  I already was.

  CHAPTER 11

  ◆◆◆

  The show was called De La Guarda Villa Villa. It was performed in an old bank building that had been converted to the Daryl Roth Theatre.

  After getting our tickets, we were ushered into a bar area where everyone was hanging out before the doors opened. The audience was an eclectic mix of people mostly our age or younger.

  “You want another drink, Red?”

  “No, I’ll wait for the after party.” It was getting a bit warm inside with so many people packing in, so I took off my cardigan and tied it around my waist.

  Soon the doors opened and everyone began filing into the theater. It was a huge black-box style space with a concrete floor.

  “Where’s the stage?” I asked.

  The Waiter pointed up to the ceiling. I looked up. Josh, Katie, Lucy, and Kyle were all looking up. The low ceiling was covered with some type of white paper. A catwalk platform was set up with drums, microphones and other musical instruments. Other than that, it was just an empty square that was quickly filled with a sold-out audience.

  “Come stand right here,” The Waiter said, pulling me over to a spot in front of a large speaker. “This is the best place to see everything.”

  The lights went out and the theater was completely dark. A hush fell over the crowd. The Waiter was standing behind me with his arms around my waist. “You’re going to love this,” he said. I rested my head on his chest as I looked up.

  Stars began to appear on the ceiling, slowly, one-by-one until it was completely covered. Soft music started to play. Then a flash of light, followed quickly by the shadow of a performer flying through the air, suspended from a cable. I was mesmerized. I’d never seen anything like this before.

  Then it started to rain. Drops of water fell onto the paper ceiling as the sound of drumming got louder and louder. Music blared. Strobe lights flashed. The crowd was whipped into a frenzy until suddenly one of the aerialists busted through the paper ceiling. Then another. And another. This kept happening until there was no more ceiling.

  Balloons and confetti and water fell from the sky, covering the entire audience. The performers were bouncing down to the floor and then flying back up to the rafters. Then I noticed one of them place a safety harness on an audience mem
ber and quickly scoop her up into the rafters with him. I looked to my left. Another performer was harnessing Josh, who had the biggest smile on his face. “This is fucking awesome!” I heard him yell, and then he went flying.

  I was laughing uncontrollably as I watched Josh fly over us. All of the sudden, one of the performers dropped down right in front of me. “Hi Sammy!” I turned and looked at The Waiter.

  “Sam, this is my friend Nick. He’s going to take you for a ride.”

  “Oh my god!” I screamed, as Nick wrapped the harness around me. I was absolutely terrified. But everything was happening so fast that my fear didn’t have time to stop me.

  “Hold on to me!” Nick said. And then up to the rafters I went. At first, I closed my eyes. Then I opened them to see Josh flying past me. I was laughing and screaming at the same time. I was also holding on to Nick for dear life. There I was, flying high above a crowd of people down below as confetti and balloons and water rained down on all of us. It was exquisite. And then I was right back down on the ground in front of The Waiter. Nick unhooked me from the harness. “She’s a natural!”

  “I knew it!” The Waiter said, grabbing me and pulling me back into him. My heart was pounding.

  “That was amazing!” I yelled at the top of my lungs, hugging him while simultaneously jumping up and down.

  The show went on for another hour or so and was filled with dancing and stomping and chanting and what I can only describe as aerial art. It was like watching the circus and being part of the circus at the same time.

  When it was over, the majority of the audience exited out onto the street while we followed The Waiter back to the bar for the after-party. I was wet and sweaty, as were all of us, and I didn’t even care because I was still so high from the adrenaline rush.

  “Now I need a drink,” I said to The Waiter.

  “Coming up.” He led me over to the bar. The DJ started playing Terrence Trent D’Arby’s “Dance Little Sister.”

  “Oh my god! I worship this song!” I immediately started dancing.